FRI 3/25: Film, Talk, Sci-Fi, Rock

It's film festival time. There's also an Irish Film Festival this weekend and others to come in the near future.

A couple events have suggested donations, and I suggest you donate too.

--------------------------------------------------------------

FRI 3/25 (thru THUR 3/31)

Various Times
13th Annual Boston Underground Film Festival
at Kendall Square Cinema, One Kendall Square, Cambridge
$10 / $8 w/ student ID

Boston hosts a handful of independent/underground film festivals. BUFF offers some movies that are on the cusp of art-house cinema distribution and some that are just too far out. I've seen some shorts and trailers in the past, and there's a lot of good filmmaking even if the production values aren't as slick as you're accustomed to.

Today's schedule:

5:15pm -- "L'amour la mort (or Coupling is Hell)"
5:30pm -- "BUFF Family Values"
7pm -- "J. Cannibal's Tapas of Terror"
7:30pm -- "Machete Maidens Unleashed!"
9:30pm -- "The Woman"
9:45pm -- "Twilight People"
11:55pm -- "Wound"
11:55pm -- "Midnight Transgressions"

The evening begins with a trio of shorts programs with different angles.

"Machete Maidens Unleashed" is a the New England premiere of an Australian documentary about the exploitation movies made in the Philippines back in the '70s and '80s. There's "Machete Maidens" party ($10 w/ drink ticket & apps) at 10pm within a short walk from the theatre at Think Tank. Or you can watch "Twilight People", one of those cheesy classics starring Pam Grier.

The midnight offerings at an underground film festival are going to be intense, so don't expect a goofy experience either with the "Midnight Transgressions" shorts or feature-length "Wound".

FRI 3/25

5:30pm to 8:30pm
Malalai Joya & Noam Chomsky, "The Case for Withdrawal from Afghanistan"
at Memorial Church, Harvard Yard, Cambridge
$5 suggested donation

I don't believe in the accuracy of polls due to the subjectivity of polling questions, however I'd guess that a significant percentage of Americans want our military out of Afghanistan.

Malalai Joya is a courageous Afghani woman has been criticizing US involvement in her country and support of warlords for years, even after her election to national parliament and eventual suspension. She even had trouble getting a visa to go on this speaking/book tour.

It appears that the US will occasionally listen to its citizens and reversed their decision so she can join one of our leading controversial intellectuals for a discussion.

Seating is first come, first served.

FRI 3/25 (and SAT 3/26)

Various Times
"Doctor Who: Starship of Madness"
at Urban Promise Church of Somerville, 204 Elm St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$5 suggested donation

Friday -- 8pm to 9:30pm
Saturday -- 3pm to 4:30pm

The Post-Meridian Radio Players debuted this original Doctor Who story at a science fiction convention earlier this year.

As a sci-fi/fantasy fan from way back, I admit there was a tingly feeling when I read about an adventure where the Doctor encounters HP Lovecraft.

Although this is performed as an old-fashioned radio play, I'm guessing the Doctor may wear a really long scarf on stage to appease the Tom Baker fans.

Your donation will support future productions of these wacky 'radio players'.

FRI 3/25

9pm
Banana Phonetic, One Happy Island, Hot Molasses, The Marshtones
at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St, Somerville (Davis Sq)
$10 / 21+

The band I really like on this bill is One Happy Island who simply deliver happy-go-lucky, jangly indie-pop. I like the other bands too, but I haven't had a blown-away moment like I've had with OHI.

Maybe you'll want to hear some bands after the Doctor Who show...

FRI 3/25

9:30pm
Naked on Roller Skates, The Sound of Growing Up
at Tommy Doyle's, 96 Winthrop St, Cambridge (Harvard Sq)
$5 / 21+

Lucky us! Naked On Roller Skates will be showering Winthrop Square with song after song of spunky, catchy rock. It will be easier if you're inside the club, and you won't be sorry.

I hope The Sound Of Growing Up is going to be playing a bunch of gigs, because they're amped-up, keyboard-heavy indie-pop with horn flourishes and ukulele interludes is rather well-done.

Call me crazy, but upstairs at Tommy Doyle's really isn't that bad of a place to hang out. Heck, this was the original House of Blues. The stage is high, and the room is a good shape. I was watching Irish hurling on TV one time. I bet if you were already drinking there wau before 9:30pm, you wouldn't have to pay the cover...